Results Tour de Hongrie 2026 stage 1 - Tim Merlier dominates sprint in chaotic finale featuring crashes and late attack
Cycling
Tim Merlier took victory with a dominant sprint to claim stage one of the Tour de Hongrie. The Belgian sprinter comfortably took the win after a chaotic run-in that featured two crashes and a failed late attack by Jakob Söderqvist.
With just over 150 meters of climbing, fans were set for a blistering pace from the beginning of the 143 kilometer stage from Gyula to Békéscsaba that took on three laps of a circuit. In a frantic opening to the stage, roughly twenty riders were involved in a crash in the peloton, before a breakaway was established.
It was Mathias Sunekær Norsgaard and Kristian Egholm who got themselves up the road early on - the Lidl-Trek teammates worked together to build a modest gap that held at around +1:30 with around 70km to go and the final passage of the finish line approaching.
Soudal - Quick-step control breakaway for Merlier
Soudal - Quick-step and Jayco AlUla set the pace in the peloton, and the gap tumbled down in the final lap. With 34 kilometers to go, the duo's gap hovered around a minute while there were some minor crashes in the bunch behind. Those crashes and an intermediate sprint that saw Benoit Cosnefroy claim a solitary second in time bonuses.
However, the peloton turned the screws and the lead-out trains assembled inside the final 20km, reeling in Norsgaard and Egholm with just over 10 kilometers to go - setting up a fast sprint finish with a full peloton.
The Soudal - Quick-step star found his lead-out at the front with 1.5 kilometers to go, but as teams vied for position, Merlier jumped to the wheel of a surging Juan Sebastián Molano before putting on the gas to come around the Colombian. Phil Bahaus completed a strong podium.
Thursday's second stage will see riders take on 205 kilometers from Szarvas to Paks, where Merlier will wear the leader's jersey. Once again, not much in the way of climbing for the peloton, but a punchy run-in and an uphill finish offers a chance for puncheurs to spoil the plans of sprint teams.
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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